History Corner

The Goodyear Tire Corporation is named for Charles Goodyear. However, during Charles' entire lifetime, there was no such thing as a “tire” the way we know it today.

Charles Goodyear was born in 1800, some eighty before the first automobile. He invented the chemical process used to manufacture pliable, waterproof, moldable rubber – also known as vulcanized rubber. Charles' work laid the foundation for all kinds of vital products and industries, including – my personal favorite – the automotive industry!

Given the state of technology in those days, it's not surprising that the first rubberized tires were made for bicycles. Frenchman Clement Ader invented the first such tires in 1868, leading directly to the Penny Farthing (or high-wheeler bike) which used solid rubber tires. The first pneumatic tire, again a bicycle tire, was made by John Boyd Dunlop in 1887.

Although Charles didn't live to see his huge impact on the world, his legacy lives on – in large part thanks to Frank Seiberling, who, when founding his tire company in 1898, named it "The Goodyear Tire Corporation" in honor of Charles and his important work.